Comment Wall

With my wife and our 3 youngest children we built a Tiki30 in Martinique in 3 years during my free times.
Our cat PHA has been launched in December 2004 . During six months we sailed in Martinique and towards the north and south islands to test she, especially the rig : a twin Swing wing rig with a free mast on each hull.
In June 2005 we crossed the north Atlantic to join without stop Morgat in France. Since, each year we sail in UK and south Brittany for training and to continue to test the boat and her rig.
With the European rules for amateur builders, we have to wait 5 years before to be allowed to sell she. So we hope to sell she in November 2009 in order to finish and launch her big brother : a Tiki46.

I like very much this dreaming boat, specially the PHA solutions and its way.
5 years ago I had worked on building a T30. So, I know very well this design; And now I'm thinking to extend this basic design to 33/35 feet, with 8-9mm ply skin, and a bigger deck pod to allow to get the galley at social center of the boat. But I'm not yet sure about this becouse what we need is not a bigger boat but more carrying capacity.
We planning sail from Brazil to Caribbbean and then to Panama channel and cross Pacific.
Please, Bertrand and others friends, what do you think about this idea and about the loading capacity of Tiki 30 for live aboard 3/4 people?
If we carry the boat 1 1/2 ton of goods it will imerse her knuckle?
Many thanks for your attention.

Just do it the easy way and build a Tiki 38. I will be far more comfortable and can carry far more weight. Lightly loaded, it will be fast. Everything you asked for in a stretched Tiki 30 already exists in the Tiki 38

I think that stretching a Tiki 30 to 36' by adding a 4th main beam aft would be a great idea. Still build with 6mm still keep low profile add pod aft . Increase sail area with taller and longer main and moving headstay out to stems. I also don't mind reefing at 15 knots of breeze.I want light air horsepower. Add screacher a sprit. Tiki 30s trim down in the stern as designed. A longer waterline with more sail area and little added weight would make for a more comfortable boa with better performance I plan on working out the details of this design with Hanneke when she returns from sailing. David

I would also mention that or Tiki 30 returned from the Miami show covering 80 miles in 6 1/2 hrs. 20 knots of breeze, broad reaching high speed of 17 mph. The gulf stream helped but then we made it down to Miami in 9 hrs with 15 knots of breeze. And yes the boat sails very well to weather as well. David

Happily the double end shape of the Wharram cats accept to be overloaded without to reduce her speed and seaworthy. When we left the Martinique to cross the Atlantic, PHA was overloaded and we had to close the wind during the first days among crossed waves from NE and SE. Sometimes some waves touched the central cabin bottom..We were 2 adults but I think fwith 4 peoples it will be difficult to take all the necessary to sail offshore during one month.
On the plans Wharram announces an empty weight boat which is in fact only the weight of all the wood + glass + epoxy.. In the marine an empty boat is a boat ready to sail with all the gears, rig, sails, engine, anchor, chain etc. without the crew + food + water + petrol and its very different!!! So in fact the real loading capacity of the Tiki30 in not 1 Ton but only the half. Happily she can accept to be overloaded.
I think for you, to build a Tiki38 would be the easiest and quickest way with a central cabin in the center. So you'll have more room and more intimacy for 4 peoples with a correct loading capacity for long cruises. Your plan to stretch a Tiki30 design, it is not so easy and by experience I know it's faster to follow exactly a plan than to elaborate your own plans.
Bertrand

Many thanks friends,
I'm glad by your answers. However no one tell about if overload with 1 1/2 ton T30 immerse her knuckle in water. This maybe will change her 1:12 LWL/beam each hull.
I know that Tiki 38' is a better way to sail round the world. But not to build, no one who had builded this boat with his hands get finished at expected work, time and money. Time is not a big problem, but money is so hard to get on third world country.
Design/drawing is not a problem for me. I'm fine artist from university and when young I had work for achitects.
So,I consider the comment from David about still 6mm ply skin and low profile to try a 33' version, adding just one secondary crossbeam (into half hull) on bulkhead 5 to take and distribute the pod/cockpit load... Let us see how it work!
And if Hanneke draw it, or some thing so, I think she will complete the lacun from 30 to 38 feet. As T31' as James says is more a workboat.
The comments from Bertrand about his voyage on PHA and the ability of Wharrams to take overload without problems confirm my 2000NM offshore (5-36 miles from coast) experience on my T21'. And clear the loading capacity given by Wharram plans.
By now thank you very much. I wish to hear from you again and to continue our discussion.
Best winds,
Tarcisio.

Just got back from sailing out Tiki 30, Mango Elephant, after fitting a pod to it using the JWD plans and thought I would share our thoughts; will be doing a proper write up sometime soon for the SeaPeople.
Good things:
The outboard well is wider than what we had previously and we have found that being able to turn the engine more has dramatically reduced our turning circle.
Winches much better placed for single handing.
Protection for helm when sailing in bad weather
Putting navigation stuff in pod removes the worry of water landing on the chart table in the hull during bad weather (this was a big problem for us when we first got the boat) and it is more to hand.
Comfortable covered shared sitting space for more than 2 people in poor weather (we are in the UK).
Easier to design a deck tent for harbour use.

Bad things:
The outboard well is about 2" too low for our long shaft yamaha.
Waves catch on the engine and the back of the pod and deposit themselves in the cockpit, we reduced this with a cloth under the outboard when sailing and will fit a outboard well box this winter.
Less party space.
Cockpit gets cramped with more than 2 people in it - if you regularly sail with more you might want to consider making the pod a bit shorter.
You lose the safe sail handling area of the open cockpit, but it did not pose any real problems in the worst weather we encountered (F5-7 in the North Sea).
Will need a new tabernacle arrangement to allow us to raise and lower the mast ourselves as it is currently hinged at the aft end.

Well, I have decided between the T31 and the T30 and will begin in the next month or so on T30 #200. My biggest concerns beyond the plans are the engine well and how it raises and lowers and the cockpit tray. Wharram talks over and over again about how a solid bridgedeck causes banging and is dangerous in big seas and the Tiki 30 is made with a solid cockpit. Anyone else make their Tiki 30 with a slatted cockpit? Any thoughts? Thanks...

Sometimes the bottomm of the cockpt does slap waves. not a big deal. We lowered our cockpit 2" for incresed headroom under bimini. No regrets. We put two 2" scuppers in the bck of our cockpit. Next time I think we will put at lest 4. We also moved our engine to the center of the cockpit and put a cover over it and this prevents water from escaping there. Love the bot David www.boatsmithfl.com